Wheel driving and steering mechanism



Dec. 1, 1953 WHEEL DRIVING AND STEERING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1951 ia I 2 3 4 7 5 A? A i k AM FIG. 2

HENRY 6. COOPER H. G. COOPER 2,661,069

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 WHEEL DRIVING AND STEERING MECHANISM Henry G. Cooper, United States Navy Application January 10, 1951, Serial No. 205,397

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

see. 266) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a steering and driving mechanism for a powered wheel.

More specifically it is directed to a combination of steering and power mechanism so constructed near the powered wheel so that the height of the mechanism is lower than the diameter of the wheel used. The mechanism is relatively simple and is compact, the arrangement and ratio of driving and steering parts being such that a wheel steering ring and a wheel powering ring may rotate at equal angular velocities and in doing so will cause the powered wheel to rotate about a vertical axis.

The wheel steering ring will sometimes be referred to herein as the shaft supporting ring where this nomenclature is more representative of its function in the combination.

An object of this invention is to provide a compact low height unit for effecting steering of a powered wheel of automotive and other devices.

Another object is to provide a combination of concentric control rings and driving connections to reliably and simply drive and steer a wheel.

Another object is to provide a wheel steering shaft and a wheel power shaft which are interconnected by a system of gears and supporting shafts, said interconnection being constructed and arranged so that only a turning motion may be produced at the wheel when rotation of the steering shaft occurs.

Another object is to provide a steering mechanism and powered wheel combination in which equal angular velocities of two rings such as would result from looking the rings together or use of proper gear ratio will result in rotation of the powered wheel about a vertical axis.

Another object is to provide a steering mechanism for a powered wheel, said mechanism including a differential cooperating with gears on concentric shafts to control wheel powering and steering rings.

These and other objects will be manifest from a consideration of the following description, claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the steering drive and powered wheel combination.

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the steering ring and wheel powering ring in section and the driving gears for the powered wheel.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a differential 2!, comprising bevel gears 22, 23, and 24. The gear 22 is fixedly coupled to the shaft 23, while the gear 24 is fixedly coupled to the shaft I which is free to rotate inside of tube shaft 2. The gear 23 is fixedly coupled to the right angle shaft 25 which is eccentrically mounted, as shown, on the gear 28, which is mounted concentrically of shaft 1 and fixed to tubular shaft 2. Bevel gear 3 is fixed to the end of shaft 2 and bevel gear 2 is similarly fixed on shaft 4 as shown. A third shaft 5 is mounted for free rotation in steering ring 8 and is fixed by key 52 to the wheel so as to rotate with the wheel. The shaft 5 is driven by gear 1.

Preferably wheel powering ring 9 is rotatably positioned as shown within the grooved portion of steering ring 8 and has two concentric circular rack: gear portions it and E5 which intermesh with gears i and 5 respectively. The steering ring 8 has a similar circular rack gear portion for meshing with gear 3 of shaft 2.

In operation, when straight line motion of the wheel it is desired, power is supplied from any convenient motive source 36 to the shaft 26?, while the source M1 is maintained'inoperative and the shaft H is stationary. The rotation of shaft is transmitted to the shaft i and the gear t through the gears 22, 23 and 2 3 of the differential 2i. Rotation of the gear 4, causes rotation of the wheel powering ring e within the steering ring 8 which remains stationary. It is noted that the rotation of the wheel powering ring 9 is transmitted from the ring gear hi to the gear l and to the wheel iii, thereby causing forward (or rearward) motion of the wheel.

When it is desired to steer, i. e., to obtain rotation of the wheel it around the axis t-@, as seen in Fig. 2, the device may be operated in any one of several ways.

First, if the ratio of parts is properly designed rotation of the wheel it about its vertical axis will result from locking the steering ring 8 and wheel powering ring together and putting power into either shaft I or shaft 2 while the other shaft is idle. Thus if the rings are so locked, it is seen that rotation of shaft 2% will cause rotation of the shaft i and the gear 4, as explained above, and gear 4 will transmit motion to the ring 9 and it is seen that the entire structure will rotate and the wheel 56 will turn on its axis t-e.

A second mode of operation to obtain rotation of the wheel It on its axis 5-5 is also available. Instead of locking rings 8 and 9 together the power shaft 23 may be assumed to be fixed. Then when steering shaft H is rotated by a power source represented schematically at it it operates through conventional differential 2i and causes shaft l to rotate at twice the speed of shaft 2 because of the relative size of gears 25, 26 and 21. Motion is transmitted from source 4!! as follows: rotation is transmitted to the shaft H and the gear 2? which causes rotation of the gear 25. Since the gear 22 is restrained, and since the gear 23 is eocentrically mounted on the gear 26, gear 25 will rotate and revolve around the gear I2 and will cause rotation of the gear 24 and the shaft 6. It is understood, of course, that for operation in this manner, the ratio of bevel gear 3 to the ring gear it on steering ring 8 must, therefore, be twice the ratio of bevel gear 4 to the ring gear M on wheel powering ring 9 with which gear 1 meshes. Accordingly the angular speed of rings 3 and i) will be equal and simple rotation of the wheel iii about axis 3-6 will be accomplished under these conditions. Since, as shown, the ring gear i is smaller than the ring gear it, it obviously follows that the bevel gear 5 must be designed so that it will be much smaller than the bevel gear 3. It is feasible, however, to arrange any combination of gearing throughout the entire system so long as equal angular velocities of the rings 8 and 9 will result when shaft H is rotated as shaft 2% is restrained.

It will be understood that in actual operation the rings will have diiferent angular velocities during motion of the vehicle when rotation of the steering shaft i! is being effected while the power shaft Ed is rotating.

ihe schematic drawing is used to better illus trate the novelty tional. structures such as bearings have been purposelv omitted, and the showing of supporting members, housing and the like is schematic. For example, the platform 5!! schematically represents the framework or housing upon which the various components of this novel device are supported in their proper relative positions.

The manner of rotating shafts i and 2 and the particular configuration of steering ring 8 and wheel powering ring 3 are merely illustrative and not limitative, it being desired to fully cover the inventive novelty of the concept by the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In combination, a steering shaft, :1 powered wheel, a wheel supporting shaft, means for securing the wheel to the wheel supporting shaft, a rotatable supporting ring in which the wheel sup porting is mounted diametrically for free rotation, a wheel powering ring concentric with the rotatable supporting ring, and driving means connect-i .5 each of said rings to the steering shaft, said driving means including gears for rotating each of the concentric rings in the same direction at equal angular velocities when the steering shaft is rotated.

and for the same reason conven- 2. In combination, a steering shaft, a power shaft, an idler gear, a powered wheel, a supporting shaft to which the powered wheel is fined, a rotatable wheel steering supporting ring in which the supporting shaft is diametrically mounted, wheel powering ring concentric with the rota supporting ring, said wheel powering ring hav two circular rack gears and said rotatable se porting ring having a circular rack gear, a g on the supporting shaft meshing with one of sail rack gears of the wheel powering ring, first tubular shaft, a second shaft located coneen trically within aid first shaft, a gear at one e d of each of the first and second shafts, respecti for engagement with the circular rack: said supporting ring and the other of gears of the wheel powering ring, res ectively,

rotation of the steering while the 1, shaft is stationary will give equal ans lar rotation to the wheel powering ring and the rotatable supporting ring.

a. In combination, a steering shaft, a power shaft, a powered wheel, a supporting to which the powered wheel is a rotatable sup porting ring in which the wheel supportii is diametrically mounted, a wheel concentric with the rotatable 5 power transmitting means operthe power wheel ring and the wheel shaft, driving means connecting the wheel poi ing ring to the power shaft, necting the rotatable supporting 1 ing shaft, andznean's includ g in'g interconnecting the drives 101' the rc supporting ring and the vheel power said driving means including gears, ratio of which is such that rotation ing shaft while the power shaft is give equal angular rotation of the power ring and the rotatable supporting r USU:

Number Name 1,06 1,104 Nett Date 

